Family and Consumer Sciences

Richard W. Zinser, Chair
Main Office: 3326 Kohrman Hall
Telephone: (269) 387-3704
Fax: (269) 387-3353

Karen R. Blaisure
Jou-Chen Chen
Bryce Dickey
Kimberly Doudna
Angel Gullón-Rivera
R. Adam Manley
Ping Ouyang
Marcy Peake
Bernard Proeschl
Arezoo Rojhani
Mary Simpson
Chitra Singh
Kelly Weathers
Caroline B. Webber
Zee-Sun Yun

The mission of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences is to provide integrative educational programs and conduct research focused on reciprocal relationships among individuals, families, and their near environments toward the goal of improving the quality of life within a dynamic world community.

Curricula offered in the department include:

Child and Family Development
Nutrition and Dietetics
Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education
Family Studies
Foodservice Operations and Sustainability
Industrial Technology Education
Interior Design
Occupational Education Studies
Business Education
Fashion Merchandising and Design: Merchandising
Fashion Merchandising and Design: Design and Development
Workforce Education and Development
Youth and Community Development

Minors offered in the department include:

Family Science
Fashion Merchandising
Foodservice Operations and Sustainability
Industrial Technology Education
Interior Design
Workforce Education and Development
Vocational-Technical
Drafting
Graphic Arts

Academic Advising

College of Education and Human Development Undergraduate Advising
2421 Sangren Hall

Advisors are available to assist in individual program planning, recommend electives appropriate to a student’s educational objectives, and help solve academic problems. Careful and regular planning with an advisor is critical to program completion in a timely manner. Substitutions and transfer credit must be approved by a faculty member in the major or the department chair.

Field Experience and Internship Programs

Programs offered in child and family development, nutrition and dietetics, family studies, foodservice operations and sustainability, interior design, fashion merchandising and design, and youth community development are designed to develop occupational competencies in their respective areas. These programs, which are sponsored jointly with businesses and agencies, provide students with an opportunity to complete a four-year program leading to a Bachelor of Science degree.

Workforce Education and Development

Workforce education and development is a curriculum that prepares students to qualify as teachers in Michigan middle and junior high schools, secondary high schools, and area technical centers in non-vocational and vocational education subject areas.

Areas of workforce education and development offered by the department that do not require vocational endorsements include majors in industrial technology education, and secondary education in business, as well as minors in industrial technology, workforce education and development, and family life education. The program requirements are listed below under Non-Vocational Majors and Minors.

Areas of workforce education and development offered by the department that require vocational endorsements include majors in family and consumer sciences education, secondary education in business, as well as minors in vocational-technical (drafting and graphic arts).

Non-Vocational Majors

The requirements for each of the two non-vocational majors are described within the programs. The non-vocational majors are Industrial Technology Education and Secondary Education in Business.

Vocational Minors

The requirements for each of the vocational minors are described within the programs. The vocational minors are Vocational-Technical (Drafting and Graphic Arts).

Majors in non-vocational teacher preparation programs may also earn one of the vocational minors in consultation with the advisor.